


A Strange Twist Of Fate

by YoumiXxX



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mild Blood, Mutual Pining, Vacation, Vehicle Accident
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 09:07:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22453621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YoumiXxX/pseuds/YoumiXxX
Summary: Sometimes, love shows its face in rather peculiar ways. In Blue's case, it is a collapsing car tunnel.
Relationships: Blue Link/Vio Link
Comments: 10
Kudos: 25





	A Strange Twist Of Fate

**Author's Note:**

> And here we go again, this time with Blue and Vio in the spotlight! Looking back at summer 2019, this fic had a long way to go but now it's here and I dare say, it's actually one of my favorites so far. I hope you'll love it just as much as I do. Enjoy! :D

Blue took it upon himself to pack up the car trunk, placing each single bag and case very carefully into it. There wasn’t much space in his small car and they surely had a lot of stuff with them for camping this weekend. So Vio, who was going to be giving him company during the long drive back home, took the task of sorting each things according to size, ensuring that everything fit and they didn’t accidently leave anything on the camping site.

“Got everything?” the delicate blond asked calmly, handing him the last bag and Blue took it gladly, stuffing it into the last free space his car offered.

“Yeah! I think we’re good to go,” Blue said, forcing the trunk lid shut with all his body weight till a small clicking sound could be heard. Exhaling a long, satisfied sigh, he ran his fingers through his damp, stringy hair from swimming earlier, turning on his heel to face Vio again. 

_Damn._ He cocked an eyebrow at him, biting his lip, admiring how his pale, alabaster skin covered in a thin layer of sweat shimmered quite nicely in the blazing midday sun, soft white-gold locks framing his gorgeously shaped face ever so gently. The wide lavender tank top swayed softly along with the wind, making the thin cotton grace his svelte, toned torso. _He looks pretty hot like this._

Vio approached him with a sly grin on his lips, flattered if even for just a little bit being examined so closely by the other, though obviously he didn’t mind the attention. That bastard knew how handsome he was and he had no qualms showing it off and hell - he was good at that. “What are you looking at, dumbass?” 

Blue returned the grin with an overconfident one of his own, the tips of his ears flushing just slightly, but he wasn’t one to back away now. “I was enjoying the view,” he replied smirking. “Never know when I’ll get another chance. Gotta take what I can get while we’re still here.”

“Is that so?” Vio’s ice-blue eyes flashed with a playful glint as he got comfortable next to him, leaning against the car and brought the glass bottle up to his lips, drinking some of the precious water in it before he offered it to Blue. Blue gulped, gaze fixed on that perfectly shaped, rosy flesh glistening softly in the bright light. He wondered how it would feel touching them, caressing them with his thumb, wiping the access water off gently and kissing them. How would the tender male taste? Fresh? Crisp? Sweet? Leaning in and sucking on those lips was dangerously tempting – but not only that.

“Get some of that sweat off your forehead! You look like you’re swimming.” Blue’s thoughts snapped back into reality, seeing Vio eyeing him with a knowing look, reading his action with ease. His mouth ran dry suddenly and he was more than grateful for the water the other was still holding under his nose.

“Tsk… whatever.” A little bit of sourness slipped through his speech despite the cheerful tone and he snatched the bottle from Vio’s hand with a roll of his eyes, draining half its contents in one go. He then handed it back and used his worn-out shirt to dab some of the sweat away. Just then, as he readjusted everything, he noticed his companion turning his head sharply, a vigorous shade of vermillion staining his cheeks and pointed ears, being all agitated and nervous all of a sudden. Oh right, Blue almost forgot: Vio got easily embarrassed seeing him without his shirt - quite the delightful compensation for his failed attempt of a flirt.

“Was that actually necessary?” Vio hissed through clenched teeth, still avoiding to look at the taller next to him, only enriching the glee blooming in Blue’s stomach.

“Oh what?” Blue teased. “Did you see something _nice_?”

“Yeah, you’re ugly face being covered.” Pushing himself off gracefully, Vio rounded the car to the passenger seat. “You know, you could have just used a towel or a handkerchief but no! Of course, you gotta be extra again and use your damn shirt.”

With a big cocky smirk, Blue leaned himself over the car top with crossed arms. “You’re not even the slightest bit impressed when I make you a compliment but showing off my abs is nearly impossible for you to handle?”

“Blue?”

“Yes?”

Vio shot him a dark glare, daring him to play that type of game with him and opened the car door. “Don’t play with my patience! Now come on! Let’s hit the road!”

Blue shook his head in disbelief, sensing the sweet taste of victory spreading on his tongue. _I don’t get him sometimes. He’s a hard nut to crack but I like a challenge._ When had he started to fall for his childhood friend? Honestly, he didn’t remember, just that this little, ugly duckling from kindergarten had turned into an absolute hot mess since high school and that he was crushing on him ever since, hoping to get him on a date eventually. To his frustration however, Vio had friendzoned him long before they started attending college and Goddesses, how devastating was that? Convincing him to see the seaside with him was already a huge hassle, a hassle he had been more than willing to take upon himself. It surely was worth it. He hadn’t felt this carefree in a long time and he dared saying that this also helped strengthening their bond. Hopefully, Vio felt the same way about it.

Eventually, Blue got in the car and started the engine, preparing himself for a long six hour drive.

-

Half of the route laid behind them, the sunset starting to tint the sky in the most beautiful red and orange shades. Blue sighed lightheartedly, a soft brisk wind brushing his hair through the open car window, swirling around his ears gently, carrying the fresh scent of the forest. One hand held the steering wheel securely, his other arm leaned casually outside the window bracing his head. The road was relatively empty and uneventful, quite relaxing for a change which was always nice, especially during noon. Some smooth indie music was playing in the background, enhancing the calming atmosphere of the nearing night.

His thoughts wandered off every now and then, reflecting on the last few days on the coast. Pictures popped up one after the other; a sandy shore, the sheer cliffs, the endless blue ocean. They all had one thing in common because they all contained something specific, or rather _someone_ specific – Vio. Maybe it was just his feeling feigning things but Blue actually felt like they grew a little closer. He had seen a side of Vio he had never seen before the last few years. So open. So vivid. Mostly features that weren’t very characteristic for the usual reserved and cool blond. They had had rough time behind them, times where Blue would often bully him for his intelligence and nerdy looks. Certainly, that was one of the main reasons why Vio was still a little distant towards him. So, after these few days – was he actually starting to trust him again? Might he actually still give him a chance after all?

A soft humming sound crept between his thoughts and Blue shifted his gaze to his right, seeing the tender male stirring from his sleep. He had dozed off only after an hour of driving, merely making it out of the seaside province. Blue smiled warmly in his direction, appreciating the way his hair fell over his half-lidded, sleepy eyes and focused on the road again. “Where are we?” came a drowsy slur, followed by long strained breath.

“We’re almost on the border to Lanayru, maybe 15 more minutes,” Blue answered. Vio gave a short sound of affirmation and stretched in his seat, trying to wake his body. He then observed their surroundings, scanning the landscape thoughtfully.

“We’re on a pretty fast pace today, aren’t we?” Vio stated, rubbing his forehead gently. “How about we take a break on the next service area after the border? We can change drivers there.”

Blue thought about it for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. “I’m fine driving actually and once we reach the main highway to the capital, it’s only a matter of an hour till we’re home. So don’t sweat it! I can handle that.”

“Are you sure?” the other asked carefully.

“It’s fine, Vi,” Blue retorted, locking eyes with the handsome male next to him and flashing him a grin that was nearly damn irresistible. “Get your pretty head some more rest in the meantime.”

The other snorted softly under a brief laugh, a warm gentle smile gracing the corners of his lips and he turned his gaze forward, watching the road ahead. “You know,” Vio started in a calm and relaxed manner, having Blue’s attention all to himself. “You’ve changed.”

“Oh yeah?” Blue quirked an eyebrow at that, curiosity slipping through his voice. “How so?”

“Well-” The blond rolled his shoulders, loosening them up a little before readjusting his sitting posture. “You’re less of an asshole, that’s for sure.”

Feeling the slight jab of disappointment digging into his chest again, Blue cringed internally, blowing a frustrated sigh over his tongue. Was he actually expecting the other to say something nice? That would have been too good to be true. “I take this as a compliment I guess,” he then said dryly in return, bitterness bleeding into his speech despite his efforts of keeping it locked in. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Vio watching him again, the warm expression in his features not changing at all. 

“I admit, that might have been a little understated.” Blue looked up again, seeing that content, carefree glint in his ice-blue eyes, which made his stomach tingle in foreign excitement. “It was really nice seeing the seaside again after so long, though I had my doubts at first if going alone with you was really such a good idea. But-” His gaze averted shyly, a small shade of red dusting his pale cheeks. “I haven’t enjoyed someone’s company so much in a long time. You– surprised me, in a positive way.”

Blue’s ears slanted downwards in modesty, definitely not having expected such a rewarding response. So not all his attempts came to nothing, it seemed. Perhaps they could start anew after all. His confident grin returned to him with ease, lips bowing naturally like they didn’t know it any other way. “Is that so?” Blue stated. “Or are you just saying that to tick me off again?”

Vio laughed nervously, by far the most touching sound Blue had ever heard from the other. That was far too sincere. He had to be serious about this. “No, Blue,” Vio replied placidly, the sound of his own name coming from the other’s mouth causing his body to react strangely. “I mean it, I really enjoyed our trip and I wouldn’t mind if we could do that again someday.”

“For real?”

And there it was again, the usual annoyance Blue knew all too well from the smart blond. Vio sighed long, running a hand through his soft white-gold hair. “Goddesses, I can’t be more obvious, can I?” Blue giggled amused, more than satisfied with himself and the world, his heart beating happily against his ribcage. Perhaps, he still had a chance earning Vio’s affection - a very optimistic thought but thrilling nonetheless. He had reached his goal with this vacation, more than he could have possibly hoped for.

The drive went on rather quietly, none of them both feeling the urge to continue the conversation, since they were so occupied in their own thoughts, enjoying the last sun rays touching the horizon in the distance. Very soon, they passed a sign saying that a car tunnel was nearing. It was then when Vio spoke up again.

“Do we still have some of that dried beef jerky in the back? I’m getting hungry,” he said, reaching around himself to grab the water bottle from the back seats. “Might as well get some coffee from the next gas station."

“We’ll take a short break after the border crossing,” Blue answered curtly, squinting his eyes to adjust to the sparse lighting as they entered the tunnel. “I have to fill up fuel anyway.”

“Fair enough.” With that, Vio brought the bottle up to his lips, appeasing his thirst before offering Blue a drink, which he kindly declined. “I wonder why the road is so empty today. It’s Sunday. Most people should be heading home by now.”

Blue shrugged curtly. “Who knows? It’s pretty likely that we missed most of the traffic already.”

“Could be.” Vio emptied the bottle quickly and closed it, holding it in his lap for a little longer.

Silence returned and the end of the tunnel neared fast, the soft white light in the distance closing in. But then suddenly, the driver in front of them braked sharply, coming to a sudden halt. Blue was too slow to realize what was happening until Vio screamed out of the top of his lungs.

“STOP THE CAR!!!” 

And he jammed on the brakes with great force immediately – unfortunately too late. His mind lost coherence to the situation, body reacting on his own and he jerked the wheel to the side, but it didn’t stop the crash from happening; and they crashed hard.

The car shook violently as it ran into the other vehicle, glass shattering, plastic and metal bursting and bending from the sheer force. The airbags got triggered and Blue’s body was pushed against the seat harshly, pressing the air from his lungs completely in one quick motion, nothing more than a pained whine emitting his throat. The impact and the way his head hit the head rest made him pass out shortly, blackness rolling over without him even fully taking notice. A strangled cry echoed in his ears as Vio underwent the same procedure, his tender body squished forcefully between his seat and the large air-pillow popping out of the dashboard.

It was quiet for a moment, too quiet. Then, a soft wheezing noise slowly guided Blue back to reality and he found himself sprawled limply in his car seat, chest and head throbbing dully in pain. Focusing his gaze on anything proved to be hard. What once was the inside of his car, was nothing more than a blurry mess of many different shades of grey and orange now, smudges smeared all over his vision, lacking sharp outlines and form. A soft moan passed his lips, needy lungs sucking up precious air in desperation.

“B-Blue?” came a shaky voice from his right, causing a jolt of pain to shoot through his skull, making him flinch and twist his face in distress. Nonetheless, Blue rolled his head to the source of the sound, making out the fuzzy image of his friend clutching his belly.

“I’m here,” he managed to say, sounding totally out of breath, hot, stuffy air puffing out of his mouth.

“We- might have a little bit of an issue…” Vio sounded severely troubled, voice stiff and strained in suppressed panic. Blue’s ears tilted downwards, feeling a strange sense of uneasiness reigning his chest by his friend’s words.

“What?” He tried to focus, forcing his vision to clear again to see what had happened and what was causing his companion to be so agitated. Somehow, he did it and was confronted with a sickly looking blond, fighting for dear breath and holding his stomach in a fruitless attempt of making the crimson liquid stop pouring down his thighs. As realization hit him, Blue’s face turned ashen in shock, the complaints of his own body pushed far back in the darker corners of his brain, faintness washing down his neck.

Jaded ice-blue eyes found ocean-blue ones. There was no shine, no splendor, just naked fear and Blue felt his heart drop down to his guts, sinking like a stone in the water as Vio slowly removed his arms, tiny bits of broken glass that stuck in his arms falling off one by one with a disgusting chink. “Help me… please.”

If it wasn’t for Vio begging so achingly heart-wrenching, sending daggers flying into his chest, he would have succumbed to his body’s inability of handling such a disturbing sight and fainted mercilessly again.

-

 _This is maddening…_ Gritting his teeth in frustration, blood boiling dangerously loud in his veins, Blue stared at the spot where the emergency exit of the car tunnel was supposed to be. To his and all the other people’s misfortune, it was blocked by giant chunks of concrete that had fallen off of the tunnel ceiling. They were too heavy and unwieldy to move them around and none of the travelers had any appropriate tools with them to break their way through. _This is our only exit… We’re trapped in this pit!_

“Found anything?” An older man in his early fifties approached him, flashlight in hand. He was a teamster and one of the first to notice the tunnel starting to tumble down.

Blue turned to face him, expression grim. “Yeah, our only exit blocked by concrete. There is no way we can get through that!” he spat angrily. “Please tell me you found a loophole we can crawl through!”

“Unfortunately not,” the man replied with a strained sigh. “The rubble at each end of the tunnel reaches several feet high. We tried climbing over it but it’s too dangerous. One wrong move and you’re gone for good.”

“Fantastic,” Blue hissed, kicking one of the smaller rocks away in frustration. “What do we do now?”

“One of the ladies over there was able to contact 911.” He pointed in the direction where a woman stood on top of a demolished car, holding up her cell for better signal. Blue spotted her and frowned at her posture, wondering if this would help at all. “They said they will be there in no time, though they can’t say how long it will take until they get to us. It can be a few minutes, hours or even days.” Blue flinched uncomfortably at that, the notion of staying in here for multiple days not appealing to him at all.

“Fine, let me know if they are making any progress.”

“I will.” 

With an indignant expression, Blue watched the man leave again to check up on the rest of the casualties, sighing tensely through clenched teeth. Under these circumstances, Vio wouldn’t be able to make it. A heavily bleeding wound like this had to be treated properly within hours but if they had to last in here for multiple days, his chances of survival would be extremely low. The most devastating thing about it, however, was the fact that Blue couldn’t do much to help him. _Waiting_ was all that he could do.

Carefully, he made his way back to his car or rather that, what was still left of it, something akin to a vehicle with a completely crushed front. It would serve its last few purposes in the car compactor as scrap metal but nothing more than that. Blue rounded the car, spotting Vio laying on his camping mat and bedroll, his middle heavily covered by compresses and bandages to slow down the bleeding and protecting the open wounds from further contamination. His face still lacked a decent amount of color but he was breathing evenly, deep and slow. Blue knelt next to his right, touching his shoulder and gave it a soft shake.

“Vio? Are you doing okay?” he asked, voice heavy with worry but calm.

Two ice-blue eyes opened slowly at the sound of him, meeting his face with a tired expression. “I’m fine,” Vio breathed, way less energetic than Blue remembered it the last time, which made his chest tightened in fear. The dull shine of his iris caused a low grumble to form in the back of his throat, hating how death was already clouding the life in his eyes with smoke. “Just- slowly exsanguinating… not a big deal.” Despite the smug grin forming on his lips, his face still showed the anguish flashing through his features, giving a slight idea of how great the pain was that he had to endure.

“Do you need anything?” 

Cautiously, Vio rolled his head to the side to get a better look at the taller male next to him, the bedroll scrunching gently underneath him. “How about a doctor? Or a surgeon if you can find one.”

Blue couldn’t stop a brief huff from leaving his mouth, just slightly amused over Vio’s attempts of lightening the mood but it didn’t stop the gloom from growing in his heart. “Quit wasting your energy for such bullshit! You can joke around all you want when you’re in hospital recovering.” The words came over cheerful, lighthearted, but the way they rolled over his tongue felt extremely wrong, like foulness spreading in his mouth and spitting to get rid of it.

“Well,” Vio sighed shakily, eyebrows furrowing in distress. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“Just hang on!” Blue raised one hand, laying it on top of Vio’s head, caressing his smooth white-blond hair in a calming, lulling motion. “Help is on the way and I’m sure they’ll get us out of here in no time. You’re not supposed to die here and now. You have to live, you hear me?” It didn’t take long before the other started relaxing under the touch, eyes rolling back in his head as his eyes fluttered shut.

“I’m trying my hardest,” Vio mumbled lowly, nodding just slightly. Since he couldn’t see him now, Blue twisted his face to an angry grimace, teeth grinding harshly onto one another. Why was this happening? Especially now that Blue finally started to get Vio’s trust back. He didn’t want to lose him. Not here. Not now. Not like this. Slaughtered by fate so undignifiedly. This wasn’t fair! Vio didn’t deserve to end this way. If one deserved it – it was _him_ , being that narrow-minded, impetuous idiot that had caused his friend so much trouble throughout the years. Was this supposed to be his punishment? Taking someone as precious as Vio away in return for his repulsive behavior? Not even the Goddesses would be that cruel and heartless, wouldn’t they? Blue prayed that his perception was fooling him for that matter.

They remained in silence, time stretching endlessly. Vio was on his own and they both knew it though Blue furiously denied it, not wanting the other to suffer through this alone. He wished he could take some of that pain away, whip that nasty horrid expression off of his handsome face, help him breathing so he wasn’t straining his torso so much and speak some words of encouragement, anything to make him feel better. But again, there was nothing he could do but stay by him. Words weren’t his strong point, lacking empathy and consideration. He was never good at this - never. Whatever he said, it was honest but without thought and this had resulted in hurting others multiple times even though he didn’t mean it. What was there to say? What sounded comforting, appropriate? The feeling for it just never occurred to him at all. But was it truly better to stay silent in such a situation? He couldn’t decide but his tongue was tied, so he didn’t speak. 

The last rays of light shining through the large wall of rubble slowly disappeared, drowning the tunnel in pitch, only a few lamps providing a little bit of orange light. Blue sighed heavily, leaning against the corpse of his car and picked up his phone, checking the time. _We only reached the first hour… feels like an eternity._

“Blue?” Vio whispered, lips tinted a light purplish shade by the time he had spent soundless for himself, focusing to keep his breaths at a steady rhythm. “It’s cold…” That was the third time he complained about the cold. The air in the tunnel was brisk, Blue noticed it quickly with only his wife beater on and bare arms exposed. Despite Blue’s jacket and the bedroll, the delicate, bleeding blond was still shivering and he began to run out of options on how to keep the other warm. Turning on the car was definitely out, he wasn’t interested on making them both suffocate to death. There were still a blanket and one more bedroll but he already gave them away to other people in need. Both of them didn’t have any more warm clothes with them. So what else was there?

 _He_ was radiating heat, wasn’t _he_?

“Come here.” With a trace of hesitation, Blue pulled the other closer to his body, encircling his middle with utmost precaution, not wanting to hurt the other or cause even more damage. Vio immediately whined in protest, shaky lips making the strangled noises escaping his mouth waver but he endured it obediently, nestling his head in the crook of the other’s neck. As the injured started to get comfortable again, Blue pulled the bedroll up to his shoulders, covering them both with the nice warm cotton. “That should be better.” The answer Blue received was only a soft hum but he was fine with that. Vio didn’t seem disapproving.

“You know…” Vio spoke up with a worn-out voice, vocal chords scratching unpleasantly in his throat. Worried ocean-blue eyes looked down at him, studying his features precisely. “Holding me like this is not necessarily beneficial for slowing down the bleeding” He paused, drawing in a shallow, forced breath. “Since this upright position causes the blood in my head to sag into the lower parts of my body and… that’s where the damage is.”

“Stop talking, smartass!” Blue growled back, tightening his grip around him even more. “Don’t waste your energy for your super intellectual speeches! I’m very well aware that this is a problem!”

“But-“

“Do you have a better idea on how I’m supposed to keep you warm?! We don’t have any more warm clothes and blankets and making a fire in here is going to be the death of both of us! What else is there in a tunnel I can use to warm you up, huh?” Vio lowered his head in surrender, blinking tiredly, long blond lashes brushing Blue’s collarbone softly.

“No…” came a curt, hollow answer, fatigue weighing heavily on his tongue. “I can’t think of anything.”

There was something bitter in the way Vio spoke and Blue felt bad immediately. He shouldn’t be shooting against Vio now, not in his current, miserable state. “Look,” he began, trying to keep his boiling emotions down this time. “I know you probably feel uncomfortable about this but this is an emergency and you need it right now. Just- just try to bear it for now. When all of this is over, we can forget about it and pretend like nothing happened. Sounds good?” Though Blue couldn’t deny, he liked holding the other like this - he just wished that it was under different circumstances.

Vio sighed again but light and unstrained this time, pressing closer to the new source of heat holding him so caringly. “Okay,” Vio said, relaxing under the strong hands keeping him in place. Blue stiffened anxiously, not liking how the other was slumping against his chest. He was losing more and more strength and he despised it – despised the way his face turned paler and paler with each minute, how his lips switched from their vibrant, rosy color to a cool shade of purple, how his muscles refused to hold him upright, how weakly his eyes fluttered open and shut. Slowly, Blue rested his cheek against Vio’s hair, sighing contritely.

More time passed, Blue couldn’t tell how much. Time seemed to be something relative in here, minutes flying by so fast, yet it crawled forward endlessly slow actually. Vio was fluctuating between threatening silence and unhealthy restlessness by now, a cacophony of slow, airy breaths and excruciating whimpers and squirms. It was getting really bad and there was still no sign of help. Blue didn’t know how much longer the other would last but he desperately held on to the thought that he could keep him alive somehow, that squishing him against his chest would stop the bleeding eventually, that the heat he gave the fading youth would also enhance his life force, that he could be a shield between him and death. He wouldn’t let him die. Blue left him back in the dust for so many times – not this time.

“Blue?” Vio asked, eyes staring motionlessly into space, voice sounding distant and empty. Blue hummed in affirmation, making clear that he was listening. “There… is something that I need to get off my chest.”

“Go ahead.”

“…”

There was a pause, a long one, long enough to make Blue look down at the pale figure in his arms in alarm. Beautiful ice-blue met his and, if it wasn’t for the fading light heralding death’s coming, he would have been in awe of how gorgeous Vio could look with that small hint of appreciation and love sparking against his retinas. Lips parted, hot air blowing out first. Then: “Since- this might be my last opportunity, I want to set a few things straight while I still can.”

Blue frowned at that, eyebrows furrowed in concern. “What would you want to set straight?”

“Our… differences.” The taller looked astounded for a moment but before he could vocalize his thoughts, Vio moved on. “I know we had our difficulties in the past and things didn’t always go smoothly between us but I feel like,” He trailed off, inhaling a deep, shaky breath. “I feel like I was very resentful towards you, even though you tried to show the better of yourself, come even for the mistakes you’ve done, do everything in your power to win over my trust while I just- kept pushing you away. I wasn’t treating you fairly and… I’m sorry.”

Blue found himself speechless. Shouldn’t he be the one apologizing to him? After all the trouble he had caused him? If it wasn’t for him, Vio wouldn’t even be in this predicament because - _he convinced him to go on this trip_.

He could be well and unharmed still. Again, Blue had brought him nothing but trouble – just like he usually did.

“It’s ok,” Blue replied with a large lump in his throat. “Don’t feel bad about it. I deserve it.”

Horror spread across Vio’s face at that, furious denial sparking in his eyes. “No, it’s not! I-!”

“Vio,” Blue shushed him immediately, any kind of protest dying behind Vio’s sealed lips. “Now is not the right time for regret. If you want to apologize to me, do that when we’re back to safety.”

“But I don’t even-“

“You will live! Stop saying that you won’t!” Blue cried out in a desperation he’d never really felt before, wetness burning in his eyes and he hid his face in Vio’s hair, inhaling his calming scent. “You want to apologize, then promise you’ll stay with me! Promise me you won’t fucking die!” His voice shook and Blue hated it, hated how he was losing control over his emotions and his body. But maybe, just maybe, this would help, help him understand how much he needed him, how much he cared.

“Blue…” Vio said softly, hands pawing at his shirt for purchase. “I… I can’t promise you I won’t die because I know I won’t be able to keep it but I can promise that I’ll try at least. _As long as you stay with me as well_.”

His voice was firm, confident and it was enough to lighten the anguish reigning Blue’s heart. “I won’t leave your side. _Never_.”

-

It was all a giant blur, the broken tunnel and destroyed cars dancing in front of his eyes, as he repeatedly spoke the same words over and over to Vio, arms stiff and sore around his motionless body. Something warm and wet wandered down his side, blood that the bandages could no longer hold back. He wasn’t sure if Vio was still with him, still breathing, still alive, but he kept saying those words in an endless loop like it meant the whole world to him. “Stay with me…”

His mouth felt cramped and dry, barely any sound emitting and it got harder and harder to keep his eyes open, his one weakness overpowering him. His furious attempts of fighting it off slowly started to die out and it wouldn’t be long till he’d lose to the demands of his battered body. He stopped checking the time a long time ago, three hours his last status. How much time had passed since then? It was beyond his capacity.

“Stay with me…” Blue whispered again, eyes rolling tiredly in their sockets, eyelids fluttering open again and again despite any refuse of his cells that demanded sleep, unconsciousness biting at his neck, reminding him that no matter how much he tried - he wouldn’t make it much longer, not with the lack of oxygen in the air.

“Stay with me…”

Eventually, his hearing caught a foreign noise, people chattering nearby, closing in bit by bit. Wearily, he stared into the distance, spotting three people with navy blue clothes adorned with green stripes. Was that… salvation? Had help finally arrived? Were they here to save them?

Or was that just his brain playing tricks on him?

Illusion or not, the thought was enough to whip away the last bit of Blue’s cast-iron will, the absence of precious air taking its toll on him for good and his body shut down in incredible speed, showing no mercy on him.  
Blue heaved one last exhausted breath, eyes glued together inseparable, muscles relaxing way too quickly.

“Stay… with me…” it blew nearly inaudible over his dry lips before even that was taken from him. Unconsciousness gripped him fiercely with its cold claws, but even then Vio’s name still swirled through the deep abyss of his subconscious mind.  
Not even then, he’d leave his side.

-

Two hours later, Blue came back to himself in a hospital near the Lanayrulean border, weak, hurting, low on oxygen and severely dehydrated. Seven hours. It took the ambulance unit seven whole hours to free all the people trapped inside the collapsed car tunnel. The long time in addition with the crash had caused far more damage than Blue would have ever expected, suffering through some heavy bruising and a fractured rib along with all the other said things. He barely made it through the first night conscious, drifting between blank, black stupor and surreal wakefulness, his bed feeling like a prison clinging to his limbs, the medication flowing along his bloodstream numbing his senses. He was calm, carefree, nothing really bothering him, everything fading into greys, dull and boring. On the next day however, when his thoughts started to clear again, he began to remember – and he remembered _everything_. 

He remembered talking to Vio on their way back to the capital, the carefreeness swinging in between them as the words were exchanged, that smile Vio flashed him that made his guts twist immediately, fearing it might be the last one he would ever see it from him. Then, the tunnel collapsing above their heads. The car crashing. The pained wheezes guiding him back to consciousness, thick and shaky against his eardrums, running through his hemisphere in ghost shivers, recalling them so sharp and clearly. All this blood, Vio’s face twisted in fear and anguish, a sight which seemed to absolute to be put into simple words and too rich with detail that not even the most talented artist would be able to put it down on a canvas. Closeness, Vio’s body squished firmly in his arms, keeping him warm and protected from the death scratching at the door sill. And then, the images blurred into shapeless figures, the world fading around them, the crumbled down tunnel washing away in a trail of blacks and oranges. 

Some part of Blue wished that he could just forget all of this, just forget that he held Vio’s dying body in his arms, forget the fear, the madness clutching his heart. It would have been the easiest thing to just forget, but he couldn’t. All the memories were burnt into the core of his heart, not leaving him for once, haunting him whenever he was alone with just himself and his scathing guilt bangs to deal with. Just why did he ask him out for this trip? Why did Vio agree on coming along? None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for his stubborn, childish craving to make Vio his. What was it all for now? What if the only thing he had left of Vio was to sit at his bedside, holding his hand and praying for him to finally wake up. 

Well, at least he wasn’t dead which was a miracle on its own. No one knew how he did it. It seemed impossible, considering the terrifying amount of blood that he lost throughout the seven hours without having the wounds properly treated. But he made it – somehow. He lived and maybe, just maybe, he would wake up and life went own. That, Blue was wishing for but it stayed a wish for a few more ongoing days, days that felt like horrendous years of torture. 

Blue wasn’t sure what interrupted his sleep, but he woke up, face squished into the soft white sheets of Vio’s bed. His hand was still holding Vio’s, cramped and stiff since it hadn’t been doing anything else for a couple of hours but he held on bravely, uncaring if his fingers should fall off and rot. He needed to be close to him, be connected with him by something. This was his lifeline, the bond that held them together. Somehow, Blue believed that if he did, Vio would recognize it, sense him and maybe this would be enough to pull the other from his coma. It hadn’t worked yet but Blue cherished that thought, stubbornly clinging to his promise of never leaving Vio’s side. It was naive thinking, believing that burning himself out for Vio’s sake would truly make a change but the thought was comforting and it made it more bearable to deal with the guilty pangs reigning his heart. So yes, he was hurt, exhausted and weak, fed with an IV because he refused food but that wouldn’t stop him. _For Vio_. It was for _Vio_. Blue kept telling himself and strangely enough, in his head this didn’t sound too bad though his body was telling him otherwise. 

Sluggishly, Blue raised his head just slightly to take a quick look at the other’s face, secretly hoping, it was him that woke him up but was disappointed right away. It was still the same. The same posture, the same way his soft white-blond hair fell over his closed eyes, the same kind of peaceful, rested expression inhering his features. Blue sighed heavily, hating how his heartbeat sped up under the small trace of hope running under his skin and sank back into the sheets, too hurt to sit upright in his chair, too drained to gather the energy and move a little. His grip on Vio’s slender hand intensified, shaking under the force he was applying on it, tears following suite and he sniffled silently into the soft fabric, stifling the sounds as best as he could. He couldn’t help him. He already couldn’t help him back in the tunnel and now, even less and it crushed him. This wasn’t fair. He cared for him, maybe more than he originally thought and he would give his damn life in order to save his – but even that wasn’t an option. There was nothing he could do anymore – absolutely _nothing_. It was no longer on him to change this and it frightened him.

 _Fuck…_ Unable to keep the tears at bay, Blue let the anguish rock his body, warm salty tears staining the sheets. How was he supposed to keep someone safe that could no longer be saved? He was certain Vio would have had an answer for this but the silence had never been known to reveal much. _Come back! You promised me you would try! You said you’d stay alive if I stayed at your side! Why won’t you wake already, you shitty nerd?!_ Shitty nerd... Blue used to call him by that name during middle school. Somehow, these words carried something very bitter and Blue cried out pathetically, feeling the guilt flashing up his throat column in painful jabs. No, Vio was not a shitty nerd – he never was. _I’m so sorry… please… wake up… I need you! I-!_

In his trail of thoughts, Blue suddenly noticed the pressure increasing around his hand, very faint like feathers embracing his fingers but it was there. _What the-!_ His hand - Vio was squeezing back! His head shot up instantly, weary, teary eyes open wide in shock and his heart skipped a beat as, instead of the usually sleeping male, he faced beautiful crystal clear ice-blue staring back at him, peeking out from underneath dense blond lashes. Blue froze, a startled breath racking over his tongue. Was this truly happening? He wasn’t so sure. Perhaps, this was just some kind of daydream, his brain faking the scene almost horrifyingly accurate but there was just no way Vio’s eyes would shine with so much kindness and appreciation, his memory unable to ever recall such an expression from the other. Blue lacked words, the moment too overwhelming for him to handle. Was Vio even able to conceive his words? Did he fully comprehend his presence? If he could just say something, anything that-

“…You-…” The sound was off, very croaky, but it was Vio’s voice nonetheless and it caused warm shivers to run down Blue’s spin. “… You kept… your promise. I’m glad…” And he smiled beautifully, far beyond anything Blue had ever seen before. 

It was like a massive wall of relief was crumbling down hard on him and Blue exhaled harshly, having held his breath way too long in utter surprise. It took him a moment longer until this head could follow with the sudden change of mood in his body and before he fully noticed, he was choking on happiness, crying pathetically. He didn’t care if Vio saw this, he was so shaken, so overwhelmed. Just how was he supposed to deal with all these emotions at once? It was impossible. Sobbing uncontrollably, Blue pitched forward back into the sheets, crying like there was no tomorrow but hell, he never felt so much salvation before. It felt so good as the pains all dripped from his heart like warm honey. It was okay to cry under these circumstances, wasn’t it?

Vio was alive and he would live. 

-

“Here we are again.” 

Blue wasn’t sure what to expect when they entered Vio’s apartment. It was a little over a week after the accident. Both of them had recovered, somewhat, and being back home in the capital felt slightly strange. He couldn’t tell if it was the sheer normality that the apartment radiated that bugged him so much or the fact that he thought it would actually be different. All of this felt so… natural. Nothing seemed to have changed at all, the boring browns and beiges engulfing him feeling like the last few weeks were just some kind of dream – a nightmare but also beautiful dream that was crushed as soon as he set the first step into this place. Bitterness laid heavily on his tongue, burning in his nostrils and throat along with the scent of plants, old furniture and cellulose. Somehow, Blue wished he could turn back the time once more, endure the cruelty of slowly suffocating to death and cling to Vio’s fading body, just so he could feel this moment once again, forget all their quarrels, their differences, forget everything around them with only them to hold on to and watch the world wash away right before their eyes. Of course, he wouldn’t wish for such a thing to ever happen again, but still – simply moving on and pretending like none of this ever existed left a foul taste in his mouth and he feared that this was what Vio was going to do. Just forget and move on. 

He was scared of it because no matter how hard he would try, there was no way he could accept this. He _loved_ Vio - it took him this much to get there.

Carefully, Blue closed the door behind him as soon as Vio had walked inside and followed him just a few steps behind into the kitchen, placing his bag on the kitchen table. Vio had been rather silent during the ride back to Lanayru, staring outside the car window and watching the outside with a blank, unreadable expression. He was still weak and fragile, barely managing to stay on his feet for too long, but he had insisted that he’d rather go home instead of receiving more medical attention. He had said he didn’t need it anymore but the way he was still clutching his belly and the precaution he took in circling his arm around Blue’s shoulder for purchase while making it up the stairs proved otherwise. Blue had asked a couple of times if the other was doing okay and he would always receive the same dull answer: “I’m fine.” And Blue was having a hard time believing him but he didn’t dig deeper, fearing he might upset his friend unnecessarily. 

Blue watched Vio as he walked further into his apartment, letting his eyes travel over his belongings in an idle fashion. There was a small trace of sadness in the way he pulled his cumbersome body along, seemingly not finding any joy in the fact that he was back home in his familiar environment. Could it be – was he feeling the same way Blue did? Blue was good at keeping such things locked up but Vio? It wouldn’t really be like him to let such things slip past his grasp being his usual reserved and unpredictable self. No, he was imagining things here. Perhaps it all was a little overwhelming for Vio, no wonder after everything they had been through. Things seemed surreal after nearly dying, didn’t they? Nevertheless, Blue couldn’t stop the question from vocalizing itself. 

“Hey,” Blue called out, earning Vio’s attention immediately. “Is everything alright?” 

“Uhm…” Uncharacteristically, Vio looked oddly lost at the question as if he was pulled out from a deep trail of thoughts, blinking sheepishly back in response. “Oh, yeah, of course. I’m doing okay.” 

Blue frowned doubtfully, specifically keeping his eyes fixed on the arm circling loosely around Vio’s delicate waist. “Are you sure?” 

“I-…” Vio noticed the stare on him, ocean studying him with utmost precision and care, pinning him down securely with worry. A strangled sigh left him and he rubbed the fabric above the bandages gently. “I’m not hurting, if that’s what you’re concerned about.”

“There is that,” Blue said and rounded the table, approaching the other but maintaining a moderate distance, knowing how uncomfortable Vio would get if he crossed his comfort zone. “But I feel like there is something else.” Almost instantly, the eye contact broke and Vio’s ears slanted in unease. It was rather rare for him to be reluctant like this. Usually he’d throw a witty remark back it him or claim how this was none of his business. Actually, he had restrained himself a lot concerning him recently and simply gave in to silence or just a short comment to avoid the topic altogether instead. Feeling that he wasn’t going to receive a proper answer once again, Blue huffed curtly with a hint of a faked, smug smile. He still wanted to know but who was he to demand such things from Vio? “Not that it should bother me anyway.” 

Vio looked surprised for a moment that Blue actually backed away but didn’t complain. “Yeah, right.” And just as faked as Blue’s smile was, so were these words, lacking sass and spice. It almost seemed like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t quite bring up the courage to do it. Silence set and the awkwardness of it was nearly impossible for Blue to handle, disappointment weighing heavily on his chest, squeezing out the last few hoping spirits throbbing aching and slow under his flesh. 

It really would all be the same again, wouldn’t it? These hours stuck in the tunnel didn’t mean anything to him, did they? 

By now, he should be used to the sensation of letting Vio break his heart because he had done that a couple of times already, but this time – it felt absolute. 

There would be no _them_ , wouldn’t it? 

Feeling grief slowly filling him up, Blue turned on his heels, facing the front door. “I- guess I better leave now. I’m sure you want to be alone, settle down a bit and all that.” He paused, waiting to see if the other would voice any kind of protest but just felt more silence pressing deafeningly against his eardrums. A harsh gulp went down his throat. Why did he actually expect him to ask him to stay? Was he stupid? “I’ll see you on the campus. Let me know if… if you need help with anything.” Perhaps yes, he was stupid because even then he wouldn’t let the other see the sadness racking his fibers, that smug, confident grin showing even if the ripples running up his neck dared to make it quiver. There was no way he’d let him know how much it hurt because then he’d just give him another reason to make fun of him. 

Eyes lowered, Blue moved along, even though he didn’t want to. But then-

“Hang on!” Like thunder striking him, he skipped to a stop, turning to see Vio still standing in the kitchen, meeting his eyes steady and firm. “There is still something I need to get off my chest.”

“Oh yeah?” Blue turned his body fully to face the other, watching him curiously as he approached him, each step made thoughtfully to prevent any kind of strain on his middle. “What’s eating at you?”

“It’s not something that’s eating at me,” Vio explained, drawing in closer than it would usually be comfortable for him but Blue kept it down, not showing his surprise. “It’s more like… a thing which I fear I might regret later if I don’t tell you now.”

Having caught his fullest attention, Blue quirked a brow at the smaller male in front of him, unsure what that “thing” was supposed to be. “Well, do spill! I’m listening.” 

“Alright.” Vio paused for a moment, heaving an encouraging breath before proceeding. “Back in the tunnel, you said that we could just forget about everything and pretend like none of this ever happened. I’m not sure if this was what you truly said back then since my memory is still a little sketchy but I believe it was something along the lines of this. Am I right?” 

Blue nodded his approval. “Yeah, I did say so.” 

“Good. The thing is now-” Another pause, but this time not for the sake of a needed gasp of fresh air but a second to gather his thoughts, to choose his next words carefully. “This got stuck in my head for quite some time and I’ve been giving this a lot of thought and I figured… no, I believe that… no!” He hissed, silently mumbling to himself how all of this might come out completely wrong but Blue encouraged him to keep going, eager to know what was so important for Vio to let loose of. 

Deep breaths, then he started anew, their eyes meeting again but the way his pupils shifted gave away his nervousness. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? “You said, it would be okay if we just forget but after everything that had happened in the tunnel and the hospital, I-” Suddenly, Blue felt Vio’s hand in his, slim fingers curling softly around his palm. The area were their skin touched started to prickle strangely, something Blue had never quite felt before. He looked down in confusion, seeing how, indeed, Vio was holding his hand. He blushed immediately – and so did Vio. “I’m not sure if I really want to forget. In fact, I don’t want to forget a single thing about what happened back there. Not a single one.” 

Blue really didn’t know what to expect but it definitely wasn’t that and having heard what he just heard, he was absolutely dumbfounded. That was a confession, wasn’t it? Vio just confessed to him, indirectly, nothing official but the signals were clear. Vio’s voice was like honey as he spoke, the words dripping from his lips sweet and soothing, his hand warm in his own and his eyes shining with something akin to desire, clouded behind a thin curtain of shyness and uncertainty. Blue’s heartbeat sped up drastically, his blush worsening, too overwhelmed to even reply to the light squeeze on his hand. He felt like he should say something, but the words wouldn’t come, his brain automatically shutting down with the small blond pinning him securely with his mesmerizing stare. 

“V-Vio?” was all his vocal chords could still manage to bring out, pretty much summing up the whole confusion and disbelief reigning his thoughts. Probably not the most ingenious thing to say but enough initiation for Vio to draw in a little closer, close enough that Blue could actually feel his breath in his face. Faintness captured him, head spinning in dizzying circles, his breaths barely able to keep up with how fast his pulse was pacing through his veins. 

_What is happening?_

Blue didn’t wonder long because the soft brushes of air on his lips turned into a touch, delicate and humble. He was shocked at first, unable to classify the weird sensation and later, he would have slapped himself for not realizing sooner that Vio was actually kissing him but before Vio could pull away again, brain finally catching on, he replied, clumsily, nothing too romantic but how could he? A kiss was probably the last thing he would have thought of. His eyes fell shut, the new, warm, fuzzy feeling captivating him whole and he melted against Vio, pulling him closer by the hips, still aware not to touch any wounded areas. The sudden contact made Vio sigh against his lips, his hands reaching up to lazily circle around his neck, just lightly laying in the taller’s arms. 

When they parted, Blue was shaking, too overcome by how beautiful this small touch was and couldn’t quite get himself to open his eyes already. He was scared that all of this was just a dream and that he would wake up as soon as he opened them and see that everything was back to normal. But he still felt Vio’s warm body squished against his, his sweet breath on his face. And then, he giggled shyly. 

“I… I’ve been meaning to do this for quite a while now.” This caused Blue to open his eyes anyway and he saw Vio looking back at him, still that flustered blush staining his cheeks red. Not a dream. He really kissed him. That would take a while to fully internalize that. 

“For how long?” he asked. 

Vio smiled sheepishly. “Since middle school.” 

Blue’s jaw dropped significantly. _He was crushing on me ever since fucking middle school?! How the hell did I never notice?!_ “For real?”

“It almost sounds like I’ve been stringing you up for quite some time.” 

“Like hell you did!” A smile graced Blue’s lips, cocky but still flustered. “You got me worried there. I thought I’d never get a chance with you.”

“You did?” Vio asked, sounding honestly surprised. 

“Weren’t my constant flirting attempts prove enough? Heck, how else was I supposed to let you know that I’m interested?”

Flushing more vigorously, Vio averted his gaze in embarrassment. “Oh, I never thought you were actually serious about any of them.”

“Of course I was serious!” Blue retorted, reaching out to cup Vio’s face gently with his hand, tracing his cheekbone softly and loving how the other leaned into the touch. “I meant everything I said but you always turned me down.”

“Well, at this rate-” Vio looked up again, locking eyes with Blue once again. “I better come even for letting you wait for so long.”

“You better be.” And with that, they got into kiss number two, this time with much more heat and kiss two turned into a three and a four and a five until both of them couldn’t stand any longer and slumped into the couch. Before Vio could steal another kiss, Blue sealed his lips shortly, asking for some breath to speak. 

“Is it okay if I stay a little longer?” This question wasn’t so off since Vio never wanted him around for too long, usually, but now, it was totally fine telling from the way he flashed him this reassuring smile and dug his hands into his messy mob of hair, relishing in the way it made Blue purr with appreciation.

“Of course.” Grinning quite smugly, Blue leaned down, knitting that beautiful, rosy flesh gently with his own. Suffocation got a completely new definition now and honestly, he didn’t really mind, as long as it was Vio sucking the air out of his lungs. 

Whatever wanted that tunnel to collapse above their heads – he was more than grateful that it happened.

\---

**Author's Note:**

> Big love goes out to _gladiatorAviator_ for the editing! You're such a great help and inspiration, my friend! (here: have a bag of Toffifees c:)  
> Soooo... would any of you like some Blue/Green next?


End file.
